Source: Theguardian.comBy David SmithElephant deaths in Tanzania have risen dramatically since the government abandoned a shoot-to-kill policy against poachers, officials admit.Lazaro Nyalandu, the deputy minister of natural resources and tourism, said 60 elephants were "butchered" in November and December, compared with two in October.Soldiers, police, game rangers and forestry officers had been involved in a month-long crackdown on poachers, codenamed Operation Terminate, in October. But the operation was suspended after an inquiry by MPs uncovered a litany of arbitrary murder, rape, torture and extortion of innocent people.Mizengo Pinda, the prime minister, told Reuters: "The anti-poaching operation had good intentions, but the reported murders, rapes and brutality are totally unacceptable."The inquiry's findings – including the killing of 13 civilians and arrest of more than 1,000 people – led to the sacking of the tourism minister Khamis Kagasheki, who had called for perpetrators of the illicit ivory trade to be executed "on the spot",as well as the defence minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, the home affairs minister Emmanuel Nchimbi and the livestock development minister David Mathayo.Nyalandu said that, with the operation on hold, the government would appeal to foreign donors to help Tanzania's wildlife department and ranger service. "Those to be approached include the European Union and Asian countries," he was quoted as saying in media reports. "Asian countries are reportedly the main consumers of elephant tusks and byproducts."There is huge demand for elephant tusks in many Asian countries, where they are used to make ornaments. In August 2011, Tanzanian authorities seized more than 1,000 elephant tusks hidden in sacks of dried fish at Zanzibar port and destined for Malaysia.Recent research by the International Union for Conservation of Nature found that 22,000 elephants were killed in 2012 and Africa will lose one-fifth of its elephants in the next decade if the poaching crisis is not arrested. There were around 10m African elephants at the start of the 20th century, but that number has fallen to 500,000 owing to poaching and habitat loss. More....

Source: AllAfrica.comBy Edwin NyarangiThree people were arrested at Nkararo in Trans Mara. They were found in possession of eight elephant tusks weighing 14 kgs worth Sh2.8 million. Ouko Omambia, Obieyo Nyadat and Francis Muchemi were arrested on Sunday night. Trans Mara West police chief Alfred Muthua said Kenya Police and Kenya Wildlife Service officers were acting on a tip off from members of the public. Muthua said the officers laid an ambush for the suspects in the area for several days.

Source: Independent.co.ukBy Lauren EvansLike clockwork, just after dusk, they approach the fence. Eleven bull elephants, bunched together in a great ridge of grey, wait by the electrified wires. They hold their heads high, alert, until the largest bull makes its way to the wires. He curls his trunk above his head and slowly and repeatedly pulls the wires back with his tusks, carefully avoiding an electric shock, until the wires sag to the ground. In a flurry of dust, noise, pushing and pulling, the rest of the group crosses the fence and they scatter, under the cover of night, to raid crops.

This was the first time I saw elephants break a fence. I watched from the cover of a Euclea bush, some 100 metres from the fence and was stunned by the skill, strength and cooperation I saw amongst this group.

Rows of electrified wires held up by wooden posts, which stretch for kilometres are a common sight across African elephant ranges. The Kenya Wildlife Service estimates that there is already 1,500km of electrified fencing in Kenya, and that this length is growing every year.

If poaching continues at its current levels, the only way elephants will survive in the wild will be within well-funded, fortified conservation areas – the current reality for the survival of rhinos.

Unlike rhinos it is harder to confine elephants within designated spaces. With their vast requirement for space, food and water, complex societies, intelligence and taste for crops, they roam widely and cross boundaries created for them. Elephants can adapt to break even the most sophisticated of fences – resulting in a costly race with wildlife managers as they upgrade fence design.

I have been carrying out research in Laikipia, Kenya, into how and why elephants break electrified fences and what the consequences of this behaviour are for elephants and for people. I have focused on 130km of electrified fence built to divide Laikipia County into a place where elephants are tolerated (within ranches and conservancies) and a place were they are not (on small-scale farmland).

I found that elephants seek out weak points (of low voltage) close to farmland. Along fences well-maintained, elephants will continue to break it in places they have broken in the past. It is invariably bull elephants that are involved, not females. Certain individuals are responsible for the physical act of breaking. ‘Breakers’ tend to be older, larger bulls and are often followed by younger adolescent bulls that seem to associate with older males to ‘learn’ how to break fences. Breakers get through the fence in unique, individual ways to avoid an electric shock. More....

Source: AllAfrica.comBy Pius RugonzibwaThe government will instal special scanners at the ports to facilitate timely detection and confiscation of elephant tusks that are intended for export. Natural Resources and Tourism Deputy Minister Lazaro Nyalandu said that apart from the scanners, it has been decided that from early next year, all staff at the ministry, including forest and game rangers, will receive special training on how to confront poachers. Mr Nyalandu, who made a brief visit at the Selous Game Reserve, said his ministry has already contacted the ministry of transport over the ambitious plan aimed at containing massive killing of jumbos. "We have already communicated with our colleagues at the transport ministry on the plan in which the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) will instal the scanners, as the present ones cannot effectively detect tusks concealed in the containers," he reported. On 'Operation Tokomeza' he said the exercise has forced the ministry to revisit the code of conduct, which governs staff and rangers on how to effectively conduct future operations against poachers. The move towards initiating training on codes of conduct comes in the wake of a report tabled in the Parliament by a probe team that revealed a number of controversies and immoral acts during the implementation of the first phase of the operation. But despite the tabling of the report on 'Operation Tokomeza' by the parliamentary team, sources indicate that it has revealed many issues that needed to be crosschecked. Serious Game Reserve Chief Warden Benson Kibonde said it was important that the second phase of the operation conducts inquiries with the game reserve staff, who have a lot to share on how poaching and sabotage of natural resources can be checked. Astonishingly, he said the parliamentary probe team didn't summon any staff for inquiry on the matter. He admitted the steep decline in the number of elephants in the game reserve due to poaching, with current statistics showing there are now only 13,500 jumbos. More....

Source: Cambrian-news.co.ukWelsh broadcaster S4C has been accused of “ignoring” the welfare of live elephants it used on the set of a new film in Tregaron.Animal Defenders International (ADI) urged viewers to boycott S4C over the Christmas period when it broadcast Y Syrcas on Boxing Day. Two elephants - Citta and Sandra - were shipped to Wales from Germany for the film, which is directed by Kevin Allen and stars Aneirin Hughes and Saran Morgan. But ADI said it was “likely” that the elephants would have been chained and confined in transport boxes during the long journeys between Wales and Germany. ADI chief executive, Jan Creamer, said: “S4C has chosen to ignore the miserable lives led by elephants used for entertainment. “Animal lovers should avoid all films that continue the controversial use of live animals, and switch off S4C over the festive period in protest.” In its letter responding to ADI’s concerns, S4C said that the elephants were filmed for eight days with rest days in between, and the “welfare of the animals was protected”. S4C’s director of content, Dafydd Rhys, said: “At all times during this project the welfare of the animals involved was prioritised.“In accordance with S4C’s requirements, expert advice was taken in order to ensure the elephants’ welfare.“

Source: Malaysiandigest.comWildlife poaching syndicates have been running wild in the jungles of Kelantan, hunting down endangered animals, such as tigers and elephants, in Jeli and Kuala Krai. However, it has emerged that the syndicates have been getting a helping hand from People's Volunteer Corp (Rela) members. It was learnt that the syndicates, from outside the state, have been engaging Rela members as trackers for their activities, with a lucrative payday awaiting the members in the event of a good haul. Rela members not only lead the syndicates to their prizes, but also offer them the use of their government-issued firearms to kill animals. Sources said the Wildlife Department had identified at least three groups, all of which have one or two Rela members in each group. They are joined in their hunt by syndicate members from other states and foreigners. "The activity has been going on for at least five years. It is an easy job for the Rela men as they have the firearm licences and are also familiar with the local jungle. That is why their services are much sought after by the syndicates." It is believed that the discovery of carcasses of a tiger and four leopards in a taxi in Tumpat in September was linked to one of the groups. The taxi driver has been charged and faces 25 years in prison. A former state wildlife director said poaching was not so serious in the past but it had become rampant lately, especially in the Gunong Basor forest reserve in Jeli. "Most of the wildlife killed are tigers and elephants. They are hunted for their skin, tusks and other organs, which are smuggled to Thailand and onward to other countries, including China. More....

Source: News.xinhuanet.comKenya Wildlife Service (KWS) authorities said Tuesday they have a notorious suspected poacher in the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve and recovered elephant tusks worthy 2 million shillings (23,175 U. S. dollars). Trans Mara KWS Warden William Kiptoo said his officers were carrying out an operation when they sighted three poachers who were armed with guns with two of them managing to escape at the Kawai area in Narok County. Kiptoo said his officers arrested William Kinyamar at around 2 a.m. local time on Tuesday after which they took him with the 10 kg elephant tusks in his possession to the Kilgoris police station. "The arrest of the suspect is an achievement to us since he belongs to a dangerous cartel that is involved in poaching of wildlife in the Maasai Mara and we have launched a manhunt for his two accomplices," Kiptoo said. Kiptoo said that his officers have intensified patrols in order to arrest all the poachers who are behind the killing of elephants in the Maasai Mara in the recent past warning that their days are numbered and that they will very soon face the full force of the law. Kinyamar was on Tuesday brought before Kilgoris Resident Magistrate Monica Munyendo accused of having been found in possession of elephant tusks jointly with others not before the court. Kinyamar was also accused of having been found in possession of an illegal firearm on the same date jointly with others not before the court at Kawai area after which he denied both charges and was released on a bond and a surety of similar amount. The case was set for mentioning on Jan. 3 and for hearing on Feb. 3.

Source: AllAfrica.comOn Sunday, the government announced that at least 60 elephants were killed in less than two months, following the suspension of the controversial 'Operation Tokomeza' last month, after widespread claims of atrocities during its execution. The claims included cases of murder, rape, torture, extortion and wanton shooting of livestock found grazing in national parks and game reserves. It is said that hundreds of cattle were shot dead by officials who presided over the anti-poaching drive. The operation was intended to curb poaching of elephants, rhinos and other endangered wildlife species that were on the threat of extinction. Poaching is reportedly being fuelled by increased demand for elephant and rhino ivory in Asia, where a kilogramme is more expensive than gold. Official records show that at independence in December 1961, the country had a population of 350,000 elephants, but hardly 20 years later the number had declined to 55,000. The records further show that the number of elephants had by 2009 dropped to 10,000 - something that needed serious redress and 'Operation Tokomeza' was seen as the right solution. Addressing Parliament in Dodoma last month, President Jakaya Kikwete pointed out that poaching in the country was real and the nation cannot remain silent on the matter. The Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu, expressed his concern on Sunday, saying some poachers have taken advantage of the suspension of 'Operation Tokomeza' to continue with the killing spree. Mr Nyalandu urged for continued observation of wildlife laws and regulations to safeguard elephants, rhinos and other endangered species for the interests of present and future generations. We are not alone. Elsewhere on the continent, the slaughter of elephants continued unabated, with mass killings reported in Cameroon and DRC. The demand for rhino horns has also been growing in Vietnam, where a newly affluent class has been buying it to treat ailments ranging from hangovers to cancer. More....

Source: ElevenMyanmar.comMyanmar will establish a Save the Elephant Foundation Myanmar in Bago Region and has plans to build a hospital to protect the elephants, according a foundation report. “We are now submitting a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Bago Regional Chief Minister to establish the Save the Elephant Foundation Myanmar. The foundation aims to combat the illegal killing of elephants living in the jungle and to save the elephants’ lives as well as to launch technical training courses with the government and private organizations,” said Khin Maung Win, chairperson of Save the Elephant Foundation Myanmar. The foundation was established in Myanmar for the first time thanks to assistance from the Save the Elephant Foundation based in Thailand. Although the wild elephants in Bago region are owned by the government and most privately owned elephants are subject to protection laws, mainly the foundation aims to carry out preventive measures against illegal killing of the elephants across the country. “We are going to build a hospital for the elephants after receiving permission from the relevant departments. Upon completion of the hospital, we will freely provide food and shelter, as well as health care services, to injured and older elephants,” the foundation’s chairperson added. In Bago Region, ivory cutting and illegal killing of elephants owned by the government, as well as the hunting of wild and privately owned elephants, has left a trail of rotten carcasses. Hunters looking for elephants are now frequenting Bago mountain ranges and forest, according to veterinary surgeon Dr. Lay Win, and executive of the Save the Elephant Foundation.

Source: AllAfrica.comBy Edwin NyarangiA notorious poacher in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve was arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service warderns and elephant tusks worth Sh2 million recovered on Christmas Day. Trans Mara KWS warden William Kiptoo said his officers were carrying out an operation when they encountered three armed poachers at Kawai. William Kinyamar was arrested with 10kgs of elephant tusks while his two accomplices escaped. "The arrest of the suspect is an achievement to us since he belongs to a dangerous cartel that is involved in poaching of wildlife in the Maasai Mara and we have launched a manhunt for his two accomplices," said Kiptoo.

Source: D-gies.comAs we end 2013, an important meeting has concluded among Kenya’s leaders committed to curbing wildlife crime, especially poaching. The meeting took place at Amboseli National Park on December 20. John Mbaria, communications expert for the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) reports 76 participants attended. They represented the Judiciary, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Police, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Ministry of Environment, Water & Natural Resources, Ford Foundation, Kenya Tourist Board, Mombasa and Coast Tourism Association, Lusaka Task Force, Interpol, Office of Director of Public Prosecution, South African Embassy, U.S. Embassy, Kenyans United Against Poaching and several local and international conservation non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) including Lewis & Clark’s College of Law of the U.S.A. The meeting was remarkable in that for the second time this year–the first was with Wildlife Direct and KWS officials–Kenya’s leadership is demonstrating a way forward to stop elephant and rhino poaching. The meeting brought renewed focus to the mutual priorities between government, the judiciary and economic interests to respond to well-planned criminal activities that go beyond the national borders of Kenya. Poaching finances terrorism. Big rewards are paid to the end producers, the crooks selling illicit ivory and rhino horn. It was reported at this meeting that the street price for rhino horn per kilo has reached $65,000 U.S. about 5.5 million Kenya Shillings, A full grown rhino horn can weigh as much as seven kilos. Yet, the conviction and fines imposed on poachers did not exceed 40,000 Kenya Shillings, about $500 U.S. The meeting concluded with several pages of agreed upon action steps that will be pursued by the various governmental agencies and conservation groups immediately. It is too early to boast of success but the meeting was a powerful show of the countries’ resolve to do something to effectively address wildlife crime.

Source: Independent.co.ukBy Vidhi DoshiElephant poachers are using firearms left over from Mozambique’s civil war to slaughter elephants in neighbouring Tanzania.The wildest sound on the savannah is not the lion’s roar, but the elephant’s trumpet. When he senses a lurking poacher, the elephant screams, loud and shrill, to alert the herd and scare his enemy.

The poacher, standing only a few feet away takes aim and fires. The elephant screams again, before he collapses in a heap. One bullet will rarely kill an adult elephant, and it takes many minutes before the life drains away.

Military weapons such as AK-47s are increasingly used by poachers. Bullets from these guns weigh too little to penetrate the elephant’s thick skull so an instant death is rare. In the meantime, poachers carve out the elephant’s tusks – never sparing the valuable inches of ivory lodged firmly inside his head. A local poacher will sell a kilogram of ivory for as little as 80,000 Tanzanian shillings or £30.

Max Jenes is patrol manager for the Pams Foundation, a conservation organisation based in Tanzania. He and his team of 200 scouts who guard Tanzania’s southern border with Mozambique have witnessed the growth in weapons coming into the country over the past five years. “Since 2011, we have started to concentrate our efforts on the boundary because most of the firearms being used against wildlife are coming in from Mozambique.

“Almost every patrol we do along the Rovuma river we arrest people with firearms. We usually get nine or 10 firearms in a single patrol.”

The foundation’s most recent report from August 2013 documents the seizure of 473 firearms and 1,138 rounds of ammunition in the previous 12 months. It also found 255 elephant carcasses, 17 other wildlife carcasses and confiscated 118 ivory tusks. The foundation works alongside local communities and the government to prevent poaching and reduce human-elephant conflict in the Selous-Niassa corridor, an area around half the size of the UK.

The ivory, worth thousands of pounds can be carried in on foot, small boats or motorcycles and even on buses. There are also cases of trucks carrying ivory disguised as government vehicles that go unchecked at borders, where the guards are often complicit in the smuggling operations. Last month, an immigration official from Mozambique was caught with 16 tusks.

Ivory is smuggled both ways but mostly from Mozambique into Tanzania. From the southern border, it is transported to the capital, Dar es Salaam, before being taken abroad. More....

Source: AllAfrica.comBy Pius RugonzibwaSixty elephants have been killed in less than two months after the controversial 'Operation Tokomeza' was suspended last month and the government plans to seek international intervention to check poaching in the country. Deputy Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Lazaro Nyalandu revealed to reporters in Dar es Salaam on Sunday that the massive and wanton killing of elephants are reported shortly after the Parliament reacted against the operation. "We have come across new records where 60 elephants have been killed from November 1 to date, compared to the entire 'Operation Tokomeza' period in which only two elephants were killed," he reported. Following the resumption of killings and other acts of sabotage targeting the country's natural resource wealth, Mr Nyalandu announced several measures, including seeking international interventions, which will involve organs such as the International Police, Interpol. According to the deputy minister, other international partners to be approached include the European Union (EU) and some Asian countries where elephant tusks and other resources are suspected to be smuggled to. He said the government was also in the final stages of seeking expertise of some international systems that are recognised countrywide in combating international crimes like drug smuggling. Announcing local strategies in the absence of 'Operation Tokomeza,' which has been temporally halted, Mr Nyalandu said a facebook page has been designed for regular and timely dissemination of information and tip-offs on poaching acted. This will be followed by the establishment of a twitter account for the same purpose in the near future. "We are also dispatching more officers from the headquarters to the game reserves as well as seeking more funds so that more forest rangers and game rangers are employed to reinforce operations," he pointed out. Apart from reinforcing the available workforce, the deputy minister cautioned the staff to abide by regulations and code of conduct governing their operations, including observing human rights to the maximum when dealing with offenders. He mentioned areas recently reported to have been invaded with poachers as the reserve forests of Selous, Rungwa, Burigi, Katavi and Ngorongoro. More....

Source: News.yahoo.comTanzania has been hit by a sharp upsurge in poaching, with at least 60 elephants killed in the two months since the government was forced to halt a controversial crackdown, a senior official said.This month Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete sacked four top ministers amid accusations that the anti-poaching drive -- codenamed 'Operation Tokomeza', or 'Operation Terminate' -- had led to security forces carrying out a wave of killings as well as torture and rape.But Deputy Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Lazaro Nyalandu signalled that the draconian operation, in force during October, had at least resulted in a drop in poaching."During the entire period of the operation only two elephants were reportedly killed, while 60 were butchered between November 1 and December 28," the deputy minister said late Sunday.He said the east African nation, home to the world famous Serengeti national park, would now approach foreign governments and institutions for help on how to proceed."Those to be approached include the European Union and Asian countries. Asian countries are reportedly main consumers of elephant tusks and by-products," Nyalandu said, adding that Tanzania's wildlife department and ranger service needed to be strengthened.The anti-poaching operation saw the security forces operating under a shoot-to-kill policy and making sweeping arrests.Poaching has risen sharply in Africa in recent years. Besides targeting rhinos, whole herds of elephants have been massacred for their ivory -- threatening the tourism sector, a key foreign currency earner for Tanzania.

Source: Pattayamail.comThe Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is organizing activities at Future Park in suburban Rangsit area to promote wildlife conservation. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri launched a campaign under the concept of “Stop consuming, Stop hunting, and Stop smuggling”. The aim of the event is to preserve wildlife such as elephants, tigers, snakes, tortoises, and armadillos, whose lives have been threatened by the presence of human beings. Activities included in this event are a campaign to protect wildlife, an exhibition depicting Their Majesties the King’s and Queen’s roles in protecting the wildlife, and animal shows, as well as entertainment programs. Meanwhile, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) revealed that 642 cases of wildlife smuggling had been reported so far this year as Thailand was on the international community's watch list for wildlife trade. The event is taking place at Future Park Rangsit until this Sunday.

Source: NewZimbabwe.comRangers killed one poacher and arrested three others while nine escaped following gun fights in the western Midlands over Christmas, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) has said. In a statement, ZimParks public relations manager Caroline Washaya-Moyo said an assortment of poaching equipment, carcasses and elephant tasks [sic\ were recovered during the operations. “Rangers followed a spoor at Sengwa Wildlife Research Institute Area in western Gokwe leading to the discovery of eight poachers cutting fresh buffalo carcass,” she said. “The poachers shot at the rangers leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire that resulted in two poachers - Kudakwashe Sibanda (16) of Wachi village in Chief Simuchembo and Samson Ncube also from the same area – sustaining injuries and were captured. “Unfortunately Julius Sibanda also from Simuchembo died of his injuries and his body was taken to Gokwe Hospital mortuary.” Items recovered following the fire-fight included a male adult buffalo carcass and rifles. In a separate incident, five poachers from Zimbabwe’s northern neighbor, Zambia, illegally swooped into Hurungwe Safari Area where they encountered ZimParks rangers and another gun-battle ensued. “Themba Mpansi was wounded and captured while four other poachers escaped. We recovered one elephant tusk, two AK47 magazines, 40 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, camping equipment and grocery items,” Washaya-Moyo added. Poaching has become a huge ecological problem for the country with at least 100 elephants said to have been killed through cyanide poisoning in the Hwange National Park that [sic\. Meanwhile ZimParks has reported a hundred percent uptake of all its facilities country-wide during the festive season. More....

Source: AllAfrica.comBy Robert OkandaDespite improved surveillance systems in the country, the poaching of trophies is not subsiding. A resident of Dar es Salaam, Ali Juma was arrested by Tazara Commanding Police Force after being found in illegal possession of 14 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 29 kilogrammes. In the same bag with the ivory, the suspect had hidden a 900 gram hippopotamus tooth. He was arrested on Friday after he boarded the Tazara train at Kisaki Station heading for Dar es Salaam. The suspect was arrested when the intelligence personnel were tipped off by a law abiding citizen as the suspect boarded the Tazara train with two bags. Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam, Acting Tazara Unit Commander, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Innocent Mugaya said that after communicating with the Wildlife Conservation Division in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism officials identified the trophies in the bags. According to Commander Magaya the Wildlife Division from the ministry confirmed that the bag contained 14 elephant tusks at the value of US Dollar 15,950 (25,520,000/-). Commander Magaya said that while arresting the suspect for ferrying ivory, police officers seized two bags with 19 kilogrammes of marijuana abandoned by an unknown passenger on the train. The commander warned that people intending to commit crimes should be warned that the police force has organised itself and will deal with criminals accordingly. It is estimated that the population of elephants on the continent is estimated to be between 420,000 to 650,000 living in three countries with Botswana, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe - accounting for well over half of these elephants.

Source: Thehindubusinessline.comBy K.P.M. Basheer The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that has afflicted domestic cattle in southern States is looking to threaten an unexpected sector — Kerala’s flourishing elephant rental business. The rental business’ high season has just opened and elephant owners are flush with bookings. In the case of certain top-end elephants with high brand value, the booking is for four or five months in advance. But the FMD outbreak in the State over a month ago left thousands of cattle infected. Though the airborne viral infection affects domestic cattle mostly, sheep, pigs, wild and captive animals are also susceptible. Not fatal

Already, three captive elephants in Thrissur district have been diagnosed with the epidemic. “Captive elephants, too, are susceptible to the disease though they are not hoofed,” says Nameer P.O., Associate Professor of Wildlife at the Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur. “The disease is usually not fatal, but the secondary infection sometimes leads to death.” FMD in elephants has been reported from Thailand and Myanmar before, he noted. The viral infection — which spreads through contact with infected animals, farm tools, clothes and humans tending to the affected animals — causes painful blisters in the hoofs and mouths of animals. Since elephants are mostly rented out for ‘ezhunnellippu’ (for parading with statues of deities mounted on the elephant back) at temple festivals, they need to work for several hours. “During the ezhunnellippu, the elephant is made to stand at the same spot for two or three hours together even as the ‘chenda melam’ (drum beats) goes on,” Vinod Kumar, a mahout said. “If struck with the FMD, the animal will not be able to tolerate this and can go crazy.” Punnathurkotta, the elephant house owned by Guruvayur temple, closed the centre to visitors as soon as one of its 60 elephants showed symptoms of FMD. It also closed advance booking of elephants for festival work for a few weeks, but reopened a couple of days ago for ‘very important’ festivals. A Guruvayur Devaswom official pointed out that during the busy season, seven or eight elephants are rented out for the ezhunnellippu. “We take extreme care while taking our elephants out, and if one catches the disease, others too might be affected.” Captive elephants

There are around 500 captive elephants in Kerala, most of which are rented out for ‘festival work’ and occasionally for logging. More....

Source: Independent.co.ukBy Sarah Morrison Anne Nyokabi does not remember much about the day her mother was killed. They were both out walking one morning near their home when an elephant charged. He picked up her mother with his tusks and threw her to the ground. As he stepped on her repeatedly, Ms Nyokabi passed out. It took neighbours three hours to convince her to let the police take away her mother's body. Two years later, she struggles to talk about that day. In one moment, she lost her mother, her confidante and the loving grandmother to her five children.Elephants do not often kill people, but in Laikipia, Kenya, a number of people have a similar story to share. It is what happens when humans and nature's giants live side by side. More than 70 per cent of Kenya's wildlife live outside of national parks and can encroach on villages any day. About 35 people are killed by elephants each year in Kenya, according to the Born Free Foundation. Others live with the threat of losing their livelihood in one night, as hungry elephants can trample their crops and destroy a water supply."The elephant is like a wound in my mind," Ms Nyokabi said. "I can't even come out of my house when I hear an elephant is near by. Every time I see one, I remember that day. I want them to be far away from here. If they are killed, that's even better. Then they won't be able to attack me."This is why conservationists and politicians argue that if we are to halt the poaching crisis, communities in Kenya must start protecting the elephant. But until we mitigate the havoc the animals can cause, this will not happen. The situation is urgent. More than 100 African elephants are killed every day; in 2011 alone, almost 12 per cent of the population was destroyed. Kenya's elephant population has plummeted from about 167,000 to 35,000 within 40 years. Communities need to safeguard their elephants but here in Laikipia, where at least 35 have been illegally killed this year, there is one of the country's highest rates of human-wildlife conflict.David Kimita, a 45-year-old farmer and father of four, blames elephants for the breakdown of his marriage. Every time he plants crops, elephants raid his farm, leaving him with nothing for his family. "My wife depended on me for food, so when there was none, she decided to go – four years ago," he said, adding that he now sees his children only three times a year. "I can't leave as no one would buy this farm. I don't want the elephants dead, but I want them to be removed from here or restricted from coming in."Susan Wangari Thiongo, 39, who lives near by, has come to dread the nightly elephant raids that destroy her farm and says it is hard to provide for her five children. "It's a cycle and happens over and over again," she said. "We can't go anywhere else but we lose crops every year. The government needs to do something to keep the elephants from our farm." More....

Source: Ippmedia.comBy Nelson KessyPolice officers Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has detained Juma Ally known as ‘Ngangari’ with 14 elephant tasks and one hippo tooth at Kisaki station in Morogoro district all worth Sh. 27.5 million. Speaking to journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam, TAZARA police division commander, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Innocent Mugaya said that the suspect is aged 26 and was arrested on Thursday December 26 within TAZARA passenger train bound for Dar es Salaam from Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Police officers inside the train moved to arrest ‘Ngangari,’ after being given information that he was carrying trophies. Police caught the tusks weighing 29 kg and one hippo tooth of 900 grams. “It should be remembered that inspite of police officers escorting the train they are also engaged in the fight against poachers who use passenger or cargo trains for transporting government trophies. Poachers kill animals in national parks, ruining tourism and disrupting government revenues,” he pointed out. He praised the civic spirit of passengers using the train, urging others to maintain vigilance and reveal any apparent suspects so as to stamp out poaching, as it has reached grotesque proportions. TAZARA police also intercepted a bag with 19 kg of marijuana, the property of the suspect. “People are expected to use the train for travelling and not to transport illegal merchandise,” he said, noting that vigilance is being heightened among TAZARA police officers. Poaching and intensified government efforts against it led to the sacking of four cabinet ministers last week, on account of systematic human rights violations tied with Operation Tokomeza, but poaching has not ended. The government has also been at pains to liaise with world agencies on how the global ivory market, especially in the Far East can be discouraged, as enhanced communications and mobility spurred the massive slaughter of elephants over the past two years. WWF Director Bell’Aube Houinato said Tanzania and other African countries face steep challenges in curbing illegal wildlife trade, urging the various stakeholders globally to fashion a method to address the problem. Photo.

Source: Ippmedia.comEditorialFor decades now Tanzania has been fighting against poachers to protect its endangered animal species such as rhinos and elephants. Several such operations have been conducted before in attempt to flush out poachers from national parks and game reserves. The operations, to some extent, recorded considerable success though the situation worsened the moment such campaigns ended. It may be recalled that in the late 1980s, the government carried out a special campaign codenamed ‘Operesheni Uhai’ in which members of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) under the late Major General John Walden were involved. Operesheni Uhai was deliberately carried out after it was realized that the number of jumbos had tremendously decreased from 350,000 during independence to 55,000 in the 1980s. The number of elephants in the country increased to 110,000 in 2009, thanks to the ban imposed on ivory trade in the world by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). However, government statistics released recently showed that between 2010 and September this year a total of 3,899 pieces of tusks, weighing 11,212 kilogrammes and another 22 pieces of processed elephant tusks, weighing 3,978 kilogrammes were impounded. The same statistics showed a total of 4,692 pieces of trophies, weighing 17,797 kilogrammes that were seized abroad emanated from Tanzania. Still worse, data from researchers show Tanzania has been losing 30 elephants to poachers on daily basis. Findings are yet to be made public on what could be the impact of the recent ‘Operesheni Tokomeza Ujangili’ (Eliminate Poaching) that ended up costing political lives of four ministers. Despite the determination to combat the problem more individuals are still being arrested in possession of the trophies. While the war against poaching is being fought on all fronts, Tanzania in collaboration with other countries, must work hand in hand with world bodies such as CITES to convince Asian nations where ivory fetches good market to discourage the business. In the Asian nations, according to reports, the reliable market for trophies is in China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Hong Kong. More....

Source: Newvision.co.UGBy Samuel SanyaThe UK government has put together a £10m (sh41b) fund to fight illegal wildlife trade in developing countries such as Uganda in a bid to fight corruption and improve tourism earnings.

The fund will finance activities at government level, charities and non-government organisations. Wildlife trafficking is estimated to be worth at least £12b (sh48 trillion) annually and is a constant threat to the tourism sector as it depletes wildlife in game parks.

Recently, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) joined a multinational move to stamp out of trafficking of elephant ivory, rhino horns, big cats, great apes and reptiles.

Funding from the DFID programme will bolster on-going efforts to protect Uganda’s wildlife by providing training and specialised equipment and by raising awareness of the impacts and economic losses caused by wildlife crime to curb illegal wildlife demand.

“Poaching devastates livelihoods and sustainable communities as well as endangering the existence of these wonderful animals,” Owen Paterson, the UK government Environment Secretary said in a statement.

“We must work together with other countries to stamp it out by stopping demand, improving enforcement and by helping communities develop sustainable economic activity,

“The wildlife in areas where this is already being done becomes a valued and protected community asset so both the wildlife and the community benefit,” he added.

Paterson noted that heavily armed poachers and organised criminal networks are destroying some of the world’s most iconic species and posing a threat to security in rural African communities.

Revenues from tourism hit sh2.7trillion last year. Many tourists trek to Uganda to view the unique landscapes, lakes, and unique mammals such as the mountain gorillas, monkeys, rhinos, African elephants, lions and chimpanzees. More....

Source: Fightforrhinos.comBy Rhino GirlOf the world’s most popular travel destinations, South Africa ranked #21. Tourism supports 1 out of every 12 jobs in South Africa, in total contributing 9% to the total GDP (gross domestic product). Among the top ten travel hot spots within the country, half are eco-tourism destinations, including the #1 ranked Kruger National Park. Understandably, the government aims to increase its tourism industry, in turn fueling the economy. According to the S.A. tourism director, Ambassador Kingsley Makhubela, “Going forward, we would like to contribute half a trillion rand into South Africa’s economy and create 225,000 jobs (in tourism) by 2020.” With that being said, “Why doesn’t the government take a stronger stand on poaching and conservation?”Canned Hunts The cover page on the South Africa tourism site shows “The Big Five” under the photo of a lion. Ironic considering that although lions are listed as threatened, SA is home to the shameful atrocity of canned hunts. (see: Shooting Fish in a Barrel) There are now officially more lions in captivity than in the wild. From 2006 to 2011, canned hunts of lions increased by a whopping 122%, with no signs of slowing. In the last 6 years, the number of farm lions has grown by 250%. Is anything being done to stop this? It would appear not. In 2010 the South African Supreme Court struck down a law which would have restricted the practice. More....

Yet her long years in captivity at Cincinnati Zoo had seen her elevated to star attraction and feted like an American First Lady, a fitting tribute to a humble bird named in honour of George Washington’s beloved wife.By the time Martha had reached her dotage in 1914, visitors across the US and beyond were making pilgrimages to see her alone on her perch.The offer of a $1,000 reward to find a mate to keep going a species which had once numbered five billion but was wiped out by trapping and shooting went unclaimed.Her death is regarded as the key moment in conservation history: living, and dying, proof of mankind’s ability to wipe out a ­fellow species and the realisation that extinction really is for ever.Martha’s story is told in Lost Animals, published by Blooms- bury, one of a series of projects and books in the New Year marking the centenary of her death and highlighting the spectre of extinction.Just as poignant is Going Going Gone, also by Bloomsbury, which looks at 100 species – some famed, many little known – moving towards the brink because of the pressures of the modern world.To highlight the threats, 100 wildlife conservation groups were asked to choose a species that epitomises their work and the dangers faced. The answers will surprise many.While the mighty African ­elephant, dashing Amur leopard and polar bear might be expected to appear in a list of endangered animals, the wildlife organisations also nominated a vast array of plants, invertebrates and even threatened habitats.The Orangutan Foundation highlights the plight of the great ape of the Sumatran and Bornean rainforests. Logging, mining and clearance for palm oil seriously threaten the flame-coated ape. Today, fewer than 60,000 survive. More....

Source: Independent.co.ukBy Kate Brooks I am a conflict photographer. At the age of 23, I packed my bags and moved to Pakistan in the weeks after 9/11 so that I could dedicate myself to documenting the war in Afghanistan and the impact of US foreign policy in the region. Over the decade that followed, I traversed the Middle East, covering the impact of war on civilian populations, and at times, military operations.In 2010, after embedding with a 'medevac' unit at Kandahar Airfield, I went to Kenya on a long-planned vacation. It was in the Maasai Mara, among the majestic beauty and grandeur of vast open spaces and magnificent creatures, that I was able to find peace and solace, and heal from the inhumanity I had witnessed: countless troops and Afghan civilians having their limbs blown off by IEDs [Improvised Explosive Devices\ and Afghan children working on farms being errantly bombed and killed by coalition forces. I left Kenya determined to photograph wildlife in the future.

Little did I know at the time, genocide was brewing across the continent. Over the past few years, the slaughter of African elephants and rhinoceros has skyrocketed to supply international markets with their tusks and horns. Some experts say 35,000 elephants are being killed per year, others believe the number is as high as 50,000.

At any rate, over 60 per cent of Africa's forest elephants have died and elephant populations are vanishing from the Earth at an alarming rate. We are at a critical moment in natural history, because Africa's elephants are dying in such an unnatural way. It's hard to fathom, but wildlife, as we know it, is ceasing to exist due to the commoditisation of wildlife, the value of rhino horn and ivory and the insatiable demand by China.

Wildlife products are used in the fashion industry, in the art world, for alternative medicine and collected for pure vanity and in the most perverse ways. Recently, the US Government crushed six tons of stockpiled illegal ivory in Denver as a statement against poaching and wildlife trafficking. The US differentiates between illegal and legal ivory, still allowing a market for the latter. Conservationists argue the legalised trade creates loopholes for the illegal trade and are pushing for a total moratorium on the ivory trade in the United States.At the National Wildlife Property Repository, I saw rows of seized tiger heads, rhino-foot ashtrays and countless tusks carved with bush scenes immortalising nature while brutally destroying its very existence by commoditising elephant parts for carvings. More....